


Letters Never Written

by Adina



Category: Mansfield Park - Jane Austen
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2008-12-23
Updated: 2008-12-23
Packaged: 2018-01-25 01:50:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,071
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1625174
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Adina/pseuds/Adina
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It didn't happen this way.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Letters Never Written

**Author's Note:**

> Written for k4writer02

 

 

From William Bredon Wimsey, Viscount Saint-George to Mr. Edmund Bertram

I take the liberty of writing to you, sir, in light of my friendship with your brother, with whom I travelled to Newmarket, where he took a fall from a new colt that I told him was ill-trained for the hunting field, in consequence of which he has taken an unfortunate fever. He insists that he is quite well and that we should not write his family about the mishap, nor would I inflict a man's father upon him at such a time against his will, but our party is leaving Newmarket on the morrow and I am loath to leave him under the care of naught but servants. So I thought to write to you since Bertram has always spoken fondly of you. [Directions and particulars follow.]

***

Mr. Edmund Bertram to Mrs. Fraser

I regret, madam, that I must break my engagement to be of your party tomorrow evening due to the serious illness of my brother, which compels me to travel to his side. Accept my most humble apologies and believe that only the bonds of familial duty would send me away on such short notice.

***

Mrs. Grant to Miss Mary Crawford

I take up my pen, Mary, to relay alarming news from the Park. Mr. Bertram--the elder Mr. Bertram, as I would not have you worry over Mr. _Edmund_ B. for even an instant--has taken ill after a neglected fall (what role drink may have in his indisposition I do not care to speculate, though the young man is not abstemious) and is causing great concern amongst his family. Your Edmund, if I might so name him, is seeing to his care in Newmarket, though there is talk of bringing him home later this week--bringing Mr. Thomas B. home, I mean.

(You may tell Henry that Lady B. talks of little but his Miss Price, wishing her home from Portsmouth to support her--Lady B.--in her hour of need.)

We had thought to remove to Bath for some weeks, as Dr. Grant finds his gout once more troublesome, but have determined to remain lest his offices become a sad necessity.

***

Miss Mary Crawford to Miss Fanny Price

My sister Mrs. Grant has relayed the alarming news out of Mansfield Park regarding your cousin. I confess my first thought was of you, since Mr. Bertram seems the sort to make much of an illness and I know that your health and comfort are least thought of amongst those who should care for you. I would not leave you to decline, so unless you can state positive intention to send for you, Henry and I shall call for you on Wednesday to return you to Mansfield. I know that your aunt Lady Bertram will rejoice to see you, as will another I should not name, though he has seen you much more recently than she.

***

Sir Thomas Bertram, Bart. To Miss Fanny Price

I commend your discretion in giving only an equivocal answer until you could consult those older and more experienced in the ways of the world than you, but I see nothing untoward in accepting Mr. and Miss Crawford's very courteous offer. I trust that your fancied antipathy to Mr. Crawford has been amended in the past months--if so, no more need be said on the matter.

You may be sure that Lady Bertram will rejoice to have you once more at her side in this difficult time. Please convey her warmest greetings to her sister and my kindest regards to your family.

***

Miss Mary Crawford to Mrs. Fraser

So here we are at Mansfield Parsonage again. The gratitude of Lady Bertram at the return of Fanny--as thus I am authorized to address Miss Price--was wonderfully pathetic. Fanny is only too good to that silly lady, who at least appreciates her as she ought, unlike ~~some~~ most other members of the family.

Unfortunately I am having a rather thin time of it this visit, though I may bask in the glow of vicarious virtue in my solitude. Mr. Edmund Bertram is entirely occupied tending to his brother, while what time Fanny does not spend ministering to her aunt, who suffers her son's illness almost more than he can himself, is monopolized by Henry, who spends much of his time in the vicinity to the Park. The solace for my daytime isolation is the pleasure of listening to his panegyrics on Fanny's patience and goodness in the evenings.

Mr. Thomas Bertram is if anything worse than had been reported, though we do not yet absolutely despair of his life. Poor young man! And yet, if he is to die there shall be _two_ less poor young men in the world, and I do not know that Sir Edmund may not prove to be a better steward of the Bertram property than a second Sir Thomas.

***

Miss Mary Crawford to Mr. Henry Crawford

Your industry in attending to that tiresome business at Everingham is commendable if inconvenient to your friends, excusable only because I know on whose urging you go. But it means I have to write to inform you that I have accepted Edmund's offer of marriage. Yes, I shall be a clergyman's wife, which I suppose will require me to visit the poor and sick with a dish of soup, though perhaps I can send such offerings with a servant. I shall have to ask Mrs. Grant the proper forms, though the ritual seems more like a pagan sacrifice than Christian practice.

Hurry back, I miss you and someone must save Fanny from that silly woman's demands. The _next_ Lady Bertram shall treat Fanny as she deserves, as I do not expect poor Thomas will marry, as frail as he remains.

***

Admiral Crawford to Mr. Henry Crawford

You're a demmed fool to marry at all, my boy, let alone a chit with no money of her own. But maybe that uncle of hers will do something about that. Still and all, at least you're marrying a mouse who shouldn't squeak too loudly when you tire of her. Do as you will; you always have. Just remember that a wife cannot be paid off and dismissed to shore.

I suppose you want me to write and advance that brother of hers. I've heard good reports of Lt. Price, so that's no chore. 

 


End file.
